A musician's musician if ever there was one,
drummer Alan Dawson was one of those solid, highly professional
mainstream jazz musicians who seemingly played with everyone,
yet never attained widespread notoriety among the jazz public at
large. In the early '50s, Dawson freelanced around Boston and
worked steadily with the band of drummer Sabby Lewis. He toured
with Lionel Hampton in 1953, then returned to Lewis' group, with
which he remained from 1953-56. Around 1954, the father of young
drummer Clifford Jarvis approached Dawson about teaching his
son; thus began a long and illustrious career as an educator.
Dawson would go on to teach many players who would have a
significant impact, including most notably Tony Williams. In
1957 he joined the faculty of the Berklee School of Music, where
he would teach for the next 18 years. Dawson spent the greater
part of his professional life in Boston, playing with a variety
of big-name players when they passed through town. One of his
longest-lived collaborations was with pianist Jaki
Byard and tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin, with whom he
recorded for Prestige in the '60s. Dawson also spent the years
from 1968-74 with pianist Dave Brubeck's quartet, succeeding Joe
Morello in the drum chair. After leaving Berklee in 1975, Dawson
continued to teach privately, earning a reputation as one who
encouraged young drummers to develop a comprehensive musicality.
Among other prominent leaders with whom the versatile Dawson
recorded are Lee Konitz, Tal
Farlow, Al Cohn, Ruby Braff, Sonny Criss, and Dexter Gordon.
Dawson's 1972 date under Sonny Stitt — Tune Up — is
considered by many to be the saxophonist's finest recording. ByChris Kelsey